15 Reasons to Visit Lake Michigan in Winter

Unpredictable lake-effect weather, produced by temperature differences above the open water and the coast, rules the winters around Lake Michigan. Locals don't go into hiding when winter strikes. Instead, they bundle up and relish the white stuff -- and invite visitors to do the same. Here are 15 reasons to visit Lake Michigan during the winter.

4. Heston Supper Club in La Porte, Indiana, is packed even on a snowy weekday night. Diners feast on specialties such as prime rib and brandy-soaked bread pudding, served at elegant, linen-covered tables surrounding a huge stone hearth.

5. "Best way to warm up!" Chris Moersch jokes as he pours us a glass of Round Barn Winery's popular DiVine vodka. This family-owned business includes a winery, brewery and distillery. A 1911 Amish-built round barn was moved from Indiana to Baroda, Michigan, to house part of the operation.

6. Guests at the Harbor Grand hotel in New Buffalo, Michigan, can flip on the gas fireplace, curl up in a heavy duvet and enjoy the complimentary breakfast: juice, a crumb-topped blueberry muffin and sliced melon. Strong, hot coffee goes down easily. Outside, the sky fades from pink to blue above the ice-shrouded marina.

7. Watercolor portraits and freshly fired pots seem especially vibrant as the snow piles up in the windowsills at St. Joseph's Box Factory for the Arts. Before it housed 28 art studios, three galleries, a gift shop, a cafe and a small theater, the factory made manufacturing history as the birthplace of heart-shape chocolate boxes.

8. Visitors can go shopping in St. Joseph, where Christmas lights still decorate downtown in February. The three-block business district includes stores such as FuzzyButz Pet Bakery and Forever Books.

9. Get your winter chills massaged away at the New Buffalo Inn and Spa, where the vibe is more homey than Zen, and the staff is almost disconcertingly friendly. We love the lack of pretension and near-obsession with guests' comfort -- a refreshing change from more chic places.

11. Homemade bread and butter is just the start of good meals at restaurants such as Tabor Hill Winery in Buchanan, Michigan. At Tabor Hill, the house specialty is pecan-crusted chicken breast with roasted acorn squash, mashed potatoes and raspberry sauce.

12. Schu's Grill and Bar in St. Joseph overlooks the lake, and early-bird diners know to time their dinner with the fiery sunset. By 5:30, every window table is occupied, and the steely winter sky melts into a glowing pool of magenta, orange and lavender above Lake Michigan.

13. The Vickers Theatre in Three Oaks, Michigan, was built in the 1890s as a livery and is now an art-house theater. An antique projector and funky, wrought-iron balcony railings give the place historic flair, and the snowy foam on your cappuccino will remind you of the wintry world you've left outside for a couple of hours.